Monday, June 29, 2015

We had
an early start to our trip to Simonsig, as we had the offer from Emile Joubert of a very much appreciated lift. Some events are hard to resist and the opportunity to taste
through 7 vintages of this iconic Bordeaux-style blend, Simonsig's flagship
wine, was indeed irresistible. Simonsig made their first serious red wine in
1984 from Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. In 1990, they made the first Tiara
(released in 1992) and planted Merlot and more Cabernet. Cabernet Franc was
added in 1992 and in 1997 Petit Verdot, after tasting Walter Finlayson's Grand
Classique blend. Finally, in 2009, they added Malbec. Not all these grapes are
used in each year's Tiara; the blend does vary according to their quality and
what they add to the blend, and there have been some years when they didn't produce
any. When Johan Malan took over as cellarmaster in 1998, he started to make
classic red wines, having seen what Jan Boland Coetzee, Etienne Le Riche and
other Stellenbosch wine producers had produced. He likes the style that Pauillac
makes, and wines with the potential to last a long time

Winemaker Debbie Thompson is also passionate about quality wines. Her first
vintage was in 2000. They leave the grapes hanging longer on the vine these
days, it doesn't give you more sugar, just more depth. When to pick and press
is critically important. She says the most exciting part of her job is making
the blends. You play with the tannins which give the wine its longevity, search
out quality, know the characteristics of all the blocks and the put the best to
barrel. And they do vary the wood used: Mainly French oak, with small amounts
of American. She says it's like starting with Cabernet and then adding the salt
and the pepper

Following
the tasting, we had an excellent lunch in their restaurant Cuvée, paired with
more Simonsig wine.

Arriving
at Simonsig on a chilly winter morning

It
was lovely and warm having coffee in front of the fire in Cuvée restaurant
waiting for the other guests to arrive. Lynne chatting with Greg Landman of
Country Life

Johan
Malan took us through the wines. There is indeed a linear connection between
the vintages, recognisable as Simonsig. But there are, of course, differences
in the blends and the aging of the different years. It was interesting to taste
the 1995 made with just 72% Cabernet & 28% Merlot. It is beginning to show its
age; the colour was still a rich garnet, with the beginning of a brick red tinge, and there was excellent fruit for a 20 year old wine. The 2001 was still amazingly fresh, full of cassis, violets and incense
wood, with delicious cassis fruit, a hint of bacon and a dash of green capsicum
on the end. The 2003 is, Johan Malan thinks, the great vintage of the decade.
The wine has good wood and good ripe fruit with touches of coconut and vanilla
and a long finish

The
tasting continued. Tiara 2013 was many peoples' favourite wine. It is fruit
first on the nose then violets and savoury tomato soup and ends with some
herbaceousness; a classic blend. On the palate, there is sweet fruit,
licorice, cassis, cherries and dark toasted wood with vanilla. It is very
elegant and has a long way to go. Lynne's favourite came next, the 2007. Classic
cherries and Cassis and wood on the excellent nose. Dry, but gently chalky,
tannins gave it good structure with layers of cherries and other black berries

Tiara
2009. Has vanilla, coconut and incense from the wood on the nose and perfume
from the Petite Verdot. It has a full mouth of tomato cocktail, cassis berries
and leaves and nice tannins. It is still to come so is one to lay down. The latest
release 2011 has a beautiful Bordeaux nose, violets, incense with lots of
elegance. Sweet delicious fruit, nice friendly chalky tannins and enough fruit
acid to make this wine last for years

Time
for lunchand some newly released 2015 Simonsig Sauvignon Blanc with the first
course

A
crystal table

Some
of Simonsig's own olive oil to taste with the bread

First
course was matched with the Sauvignon Blanc. Different colours of pickled baby
beetroot, with quenelles of goats cheese "'pannacotta", lemon curd
and walnut bread

Johan
answering many questions

The
main course of wonderfully long and slowly braised sticky beef short rib (bones
removed) with parmesan gnocchi, confit turnips, edamame beans and carrots.
Perfect for a winter's day. This went so well with the 2011 Tiara

Lynne actually likes this photograph better, but says that the previous one shows the food in a more delicious
way

We
ended with a selection of cheese with fig and orange preserve, nuts and
bread crisps - paired with the sweet Vin de Liza 2010

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MENU,our weekly email newsletter, started as an advertising medium for Main Ingredient, our specialist retail grocery business. We opened our Sea Point shop in December 2002 because the limited range of food products available in the supermarkets frustrated us. We realised that there was a place in South Africa for a grocer catering to people who share our tastes and needs. We moved the shop on line in 2010, but have now discontinued it, having decided that it is time to “retire” and concentrate on our writing, photography and tour guiding. MENU has a wide circulation and is read nationally and internationally.

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